West African Giraffe Conservation
The West African giraffe, often called white giraffes due to their light-colored spots, has suffered crippling population declines throughout the past century due to habitat loss and increased contact with human populations. Once ranging widely from Senegal to Chad, the West Africa giraffe is now found only in a small area in Niger outside one of the national parks that make up AWF’s Regional Parc W Heartland.
Within the Regional Parc W Heartland, AWF is supporting the Association pour Sauvegarde des Girafes du Niger (ASGN), an NGO that has worked to conserve the giraffe since 2000, in an effort to ensure the recovery of this unique species. Through support to ASGN’s annual giraffe census, AWF is helping to ensure that this species gets the protection it needs to survive for centuries to come.
Last of Their Kind
The West African giraffe herds in Niger belong to a unique sub-species of giraffe that once populated many West African countries. Classified under the sub-species of peralta, the West African giraffe split from a common ancestral population 350,000 years ago. Over the past few decades, human populations have encroached increasingly upon areas where the giraffe lives, destroying natural vegetation as land is cleared for crop cultivation. This shrinking habitat, along with poaching and land desertification, has triggered a rapid decline in the giraffe population. In 1996, the West African giraffe was on the brink of extinction with only 50 individuals remaining. The West African giraffe is currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
On the Fringes
Human-giraffe conflict continues to be a major obstacle in the recovery of West African giraffe populations, largely because the giraffe herds reside outside the boundaries of Parc W/Niger. Incidences of giraffes feeding on crops in villages and farms surrounding the park have led locals to perceive giraffes as a threat to their livelihoods rather than a possible asset through tourism enterprises. AWF has committed to work with local communities to reduce this conflict and create important ecological buffer zones surrounding the park.
A Brighter Future
Thanks to the dedication of ASGN, the West African giraffe appears to be staging a slow but promising comeback. In 2008, ASGN counted a census on the giraffe population, registering a count of 193 giraffes. This year ASGN expects to count more than 200 individuals.
